Three-time Cup champion Tony Stewart underwent surgery Thursday in North Carolina to have a rod inserted in his broken right leg.

Stewart, who fractured both his tibia and fibula in a crash Monday racing a winged sprint car at Southern Iowa Speedway, remained hospitalized Thursday night according to a news release from Stewart-Haas Racing.

Tony Stewart was taken off the track Monday on a stretcher and was taken for surgery in Iowa before being transported to North Carolina for more surgery Thursday. (AP Photo)

The 42-year-old Stewart, 11th in the Cup standings, will be replaced by Max Papis for this weekend’s race at Watkins Glen International. A replacement for future races—no timetable for Stewart’s return was given—has not been announced.

He is expected to miss at least three races and possibly several more. Five weeks remain before the 10-week Chase for the Sprint Cup, and it is unlikely Stewart will return in time to rally and make the 12-driver Chase field.

“We'll hopefully get him healed up and to the racetrack and being part of this group and team as soon as we can and get him back in the car as soon as he can,” SHR Competition Director Greg Zipadelli said Wednesday.

Stewart was leading the American Sprint Car Series feature event Monday night when he tried to dodge a lapped car that had spun in front of him. His right rear wheel clipped the wheel of the car, and Stewart’s car did a few flips before finally coming to a rest.

He had surgery early Tuesday morning in Iowa to stabilize and clean the fracture. Stewart was transferred to a North Carolina hospital for the surgery Thursday where the metal rod was inserted inside the tibia.